Wednesday, February 24, 2016

A Drop of Night - Zürich reading!

See the Oranges of Doom in the background? If you're one of the six people who read the earliest drafts of the book, youuuuu ... have probably forgotten by now about Oranges of Doom. But they were there. Causing doom.

(There is only one orange in the new version. P. 35, historical flashback: "We continued to chatter mercilessly. We would not cease. And after a while Mama began to weep, putting her hands to her ears, and the orange lay on the table, a knobbly spiral of peel, the rich flesh within hacked to bits.")

YOU GUYS. I'm doing one reading for A Drop of Night, in the most excellent English Bookshop in Zürich. I know most of you who read this blog are not in Switzerland, but if you are, come, please, oh, please? It would be awesome to see some familiar faces there. Solo readings are usually terrifying, unless you adore being the center of attention, which ... I don't. So if cool book friends are there it's just better, ya know? :)

Also, if you guys are Zürichers you may have heard that an absolute breach of human rights is happening and The Bookshop is moving into the upper floors of the German bookstore and being replaced by a Zara. *burns everything* This will be in May I think? I mean, they're not closing, so that's cool, but it still feels sad, because nobody needs Zara and everybody needs books. They're such a great bookstore, and I'm happy I get to do one more event in their current location.

The reading is on April 2nd, 2016, at 18:30 (6:30 PM)at The Bookshop Orell Füssli on the Bahnhofstrasse. If you came you would be awesome, and I will sign books and answer questions and such-like.

Some more things:- I got finished copies! They're hyootiful and shiny. Greenwillow makes the loveliest books. Here are some more pictures.

Foil type! 🎶"How they shimmer, how they glimmer, those butterflies."🎶

This is the back cover. A questionnaire our heroine Anouk fills out pre-palace expedition:

- I also sent off my next manuscript! IT'S SO LONG. I've reverted into full-on shivering-in-corners until I hear back from my editor, and I fear I'm going to have to cut 40,000 words and I'm already fortifying myself for this, but wherrrrrre will I cut them?

Dat apple.

- Here's a song I've been listening to on repeat since the beginning of time, aka, January. It's very relaxing, and slightly melancholy, and apparently about the 1940's movie industry in Sedona, Arizona.

1. "Our hands are in the branches" *creaky door sound*2. Oh goodness, those early drafts... I should send apologies to everyone who had to read them.4. We shall seeeeee! *shivers in corner*---3. What is first grade counting even. ALSO, THANK YOUUUUU! :D

I am seriously intrigued by that orange snippet, and I don't think I've seen the back cover copy before, so that's super exciting. :D Also that manuscript is impressive. *nods* How many words long is it right now, and do you have a target word count (if you don't mind me asking)?

Despite having never been to Switzerland, I agree--this Bookshop relocation is an egregious offense. I was similarly upset when one of my favorite book stores shut down (but, I'm glad this one's only downsizing, rather than closing :P).

I'm so happy I don't have to wait too much longer before I can get my hands on A Drop of Night. :D

It's 127,000 worrrrrrds! And right after I posted the word count on twitter someone tweeted how writers who write long books don't know how to edit. I was like, ":( BUT WHAT IF THERE'S JUST A LOT OF STORY TO TELL." I dunno. We'll see what Editor says.

Aw, sorry your favorite bookshop closed. That's the worst. Any time a bookshop closes is the worst.

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This is me

I write words and music. Books are: faerypunk THE PECULIAR (out now), its companion THE WHATNOT (out now), 1/4 of a spooky anthology THE CABINET OF CURIOSITIES (out now), and my YA debut A DROP OF NIGHT (Winter 2016), all from Greenwillow/HarperCollins. I'm repped by Sara Megibow at KT Literary.